Kiss and Tell
by CaraMiaMilo
Summary: post season-finale fluff
1. Kissing Jess

This story used to be called "No-Name Fluff." It's got a name now, obviously. And chapter 2 is new!   
  
THANK YOU BUNCHES to everyone who sent me feedback. You guys made me feel terrific!   
Part 2 is short but I hope you'll enjoy it; I'll try to write part 3 soon.   
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. The WBs and AS-Ps.   
  
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Jess leaned up against a tree, skipping stones into the lake and   
wondering exactly when the fates had decided to trap him in one of his   
mother's paperback romances. All the elements were there: the bad   
boy, the beautiful innocent, the time-out-of-time setting, the jealous   
lover--well, best he could tell Dean wasn't Rory's lover exactly, but   
he did expect hobbits to pop out of the tree next to him at any   
second. Stars Hollow seemed covered in pixie dust, and somehow he'd   
fallen under its spell. He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. Who   
was he kidding? HER spell. She'd brought fairy magic with her to New   
York and entranced him; he'd moved back to Stars Hollow and she'd   
fallen into his arms--but then she wouldn't talk with him and avoided   
him and for the last six weeks she'd been in Washington and he'd had   
to get his news of her through the grapevine. Fortunately Fairy Land   
had a veritable beanstalk of a grapevine.   
  
She was probably home by now; he'd heard Lorelei say something about   
her grandparents picking her up at the airport around 10. They were   
probably having lunch and listening to her describe everything she'd   
seen and experienced, and she and Lorelei were probably tossing off   
wise-cracks about all the lunatic prep-school kids at camp. He looked   
at his watch and was surprised to see that it was 1:30. OK, they were   
probably finished with lunch. Good thing he didn't have to work at the   
diner today--he'd totally lost track of time. He walked over toward   
the stream and lay down in the grass, looking up at the sky through   
the leaves, and fell asleep.   
  
When he opened his eyes, she was sitting under the tree watching him.   
  
"I'm sure there's a town ordinance about sleeping in the park."   
  
"And well there should be. Most uncomfortable patch of ground I've   
ever slept on."   
  
"I'm sure that's not why there's an ordinance."   
  
"Oh, you think it's to keep hoodlums like me from living in the park?  
Maybe I'll round up some hippie friends and have a Human Be-In."   
  
"Don't say Human Be-In. It makes me think of Alan Ginsberg, which   
makes me think of Beat poetry, which makes me think of Paris. Oh God,   
for six weeks I actually lived with Paris. But wait, what would your   
Be-In be protesting?"   
  
"Stupid town ordinances."   
  
"Ah, of course. But you see if you'd obeyed the ordinance you wouldn't   
have that crick in your neck that you're so clearly trying to work out   
so it's really not that stupid. Come here and let me rub it for you.   
You're making a face like you really hurt it."   
  
"I think I slept on a rock."   
  
Jess moved over to where Rory was sitting and sat cross-legged in   
front of her. He was glad for a moment not to be able to see her, and   
he inhaled, trying to regain his equilibrium, but then her hands were   
on his neck, kneading gently, and he was overwhelmed. He tried to   
remember the last time someone had taken care of him. He felt the   
wound in his heart throb a little and pulled away.   
  
"Better." He smiled at her. "Your turn."   
  
Rory's face flushed a little; she hadn't quite realized what she was   
getting herself into when she'd offered to touch him. Her hands were   
almost burning from the sensation, and the world had completely shrunk   
to the space between them. She scooted forward and he took her spot   
against the tree, stretching out his legs so she sat between his   
knees. He kneaded the tops of her arms and moved slowly up toward her   
neck, alternately kneading and smoothing until her head was limp on   
her shoulders. She couldn't remember when she'd felt so relaxed and   
sleepy, and when he gently pulled on her shoulders she lay back to   
lean against his chest.   
  
"Mmm, comfy." She closed her eyes and felt the rhythm of his breath   
and his heart beat. His breath was a little uneven and she smiled   
slightly, wondering if she was causing that. She stretched out her   
legs, pressing her shoulders against him, and felt him stiffen and   
catch his breath. But he didn't pull away; he left his hands loose on   
her arms but drew his legs slightly together so his knees were just   
barely touching her hips.   
  
"Jess?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"What's happening here?"   
  
Jess hesitated, not knowing how to answer her. He wanted to push the   
situation, touch her more. But he also wanted to diffuse the tension   
so she wouldn't pull away.   
  
"Is that another way of asking me what I'm thinking?"   
  
"I guess so. Although I'm not quite sure what I'm thinking either."   
  
That was a good sign. If she was confused, there was hope for him.   
  
"I think we're cuddling," Jess responded.   
  
"I don't think I'm supposed to cuddle with you."   
  
"Are you telling me I have bad cuddle-karma?" He felt her chuckle   
against his chest and the slight motion resonated through his whole   
body. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her a little   
closer to him. "There. Now we're snuggling."   
  
"I KNOW I'm not supposed to snuggle with you."   
  
"Is there an ordinance against it?"   
  
"Unwritten."   
  
"Unwritten rules are just asking to be broken."   
  
"What about hearts?"   
  
Jess heard the timid question and his own heart almost stopped. "Whose   
heart is in question here?"   
  
"Mine?" Rory's voice was soft, fearful. Jess felt tenderness flood   
through him and he turned her in his arms so he could see her face.   
Keeping his arm behind her back, he leaned forward and tilted her face   
until he was looking into her eyes.   
  
"Any man who breaks your heart deserves to die a protracted and   
painful death. You're..." Jess couldn't think of the right word.   
"Irreplaceable."   
  
Rory's face remained serious, but her eyes brightened as she looked at   
him and realized how honest he was being. She threw her arms around   
his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.   
  
"I missed you Jess. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you before I left, or   
call you while I was gone. I wanted this so badly and it scared me.   
I've never felt with anyone like I feel when I'm with you; it's like   
you have some sort of magnet in your skin and whenever I'm around you   
all I can think about is touching you and getting closer and closer to   
you and when we kissed before I was terrified because it actually made   
me shake..."   
  
Jess's lips were on hers, one hand in her hair, the other pressing   
against the small of her back and holding her against him. His arm   
lifted her as he laid her back on the ground and leaned over her,   
never breaking the kiss but tangling their legs together and running   
his hand down the side of her body. He caressed the back of her thigh   
and pulled on her knee, bending her leg and pulling her tighter   
against him. His mouth caressed the sensitive skin of her exposed   
collarbone, and he felt her hands tentatively slip under his shirt to   
stroke the sensitive skin at his waist. He groaned and resumed his   
assault on her lips, reaching under the hem of her tank to mimic her   
touch. Rory sobbed against his mouth. He pulled away to look down at   
her as his fingers skimmed the top of her hip just above the waistband   
of her shorts and feathered across her stomach. He heard her sharp   
intake of breath and felt his own arousal leap, and he moved his hand   
to cup her face, fighting for control.   
  
"We're stopping now. I'm sure there's a real ordinance against making   
love in the park, and watching you underneath me is just about to   
break the tenuous hold I still have over my actions." He stood up and   
offered her his hand to help her up. "I also suspect you're not quite   
ready for this, and I don't have any way to protect you. I wasn't   
expecting to see you out here." He grinned at her blush. Her breathing   
was still erratic, her face flushed. "One thing's for sure. We can't   
go back into town yet. One look at us and the rumor mill will be   
off."   
  
Rory ran her hands through her hair and took a deep breath. "I think   
they're going to find out sooner or later."   
  
"I'm glad to know you're not planning on keeping me a secret."   
  
"I couldn't even if I wanted to. It'll be all over my face when I look   
at you from now on. The first time I set foot in the diner everyone   
will take one look at me and know for absolute certain that I'm in   
love with you."   
  
Jess felt like he was falling. His mind went blank, his mouth went   
dry, and the earth tilted as he swallowed hard and tried to breathe.   
He could hear Rory's voice: "Jess? Are you okay? Your face got weird   
all of a..."   
  
Then his arm was around her waist clamping her to him as he pulled her   
head back to plunder her opened mouth. He felt the anguish and   
loneliness and pain drain out of his heart, and she kissed away the   
tears and held him and stroked his hair until his breathing deepened   
and his arms relaxed. He leaned his forehead against hers and made a   
silly, sheepish face that made her smile.   
  
"Guess you can tell I'm in love with you too."   
  
"Well, I hoped that was what that meant. But it's nice to hear it   
confirmed."   
  
"I'll tell you at whatever interval you like, repeatedly, for as long   
as you want me. Maybe I'll put a sign up in the diner, or paint it on   
your coffee mug."   
  
"You could carve our initials in the gazebo."   
  
"I already did."   
  
"What!? I haven't seen it, and I thought we kept track of these   
things!"   
  
"I used A.D. instead of J.M."   
  
Rory laughed. "Artful Dodger. Of course; the one we couldn't figure   
out! And you used L.G. so I always thought it was mom. Sneaky." Rory   
stopped laughing and looked puzzled. "But Jess, that's been there for   
months. Since...well, Christmas at least." He nodded. "Oh Jess, have   
I really been that clueless? No wonder Dean thought I was lying to   
him."   
  
"Speaking of Dean..."   
  
"I will talk to him tonight, or at least try to. I've been stupid, but   
I'm not intentionally mean." She stepped closer to him and ran the   
palm of her hand across his chest. "I'm not going to be able to keep   
my hands off of you easily, so we do need to stay away from each other   
until after Dean and I talk. I don't particularly want to rub his face   
in this."   
  
"You're a good person, Rory Gilmore." Jess took her hand from where   
it rested on his chest and kissed it. He linked their fingers   
together and turned to look at the lake. "You know, Luke will kill me   
if I come home in this condition. Wonder how cold that water is?"   
  
Rory laughed as he kicked off his shoes and headed for the water. 


	2. Telling Dean

Rory paced around her living room, biting her nails and furrowing her brow. She'd called Dean and   
he was on his way over. 'I should have planned to meet him somewhere other than home,' she   
thought. 'Maybe we should just hang out on the back porch.' She heard a knock at the door and   
went to let him in.   
  
"Hey Sweetie, welcome back!" Dean grabbed her and spun her around. "It's so good to see you."   
  
Rory grimaced at the endearment as she closed the door, then smiled wanly at him. "Come on,   
Dean, let's go into the living room. There's something I need to talk with you about."   
  
Dean sat on the couch, a worried expression on his face, and Rory paced in front of him. "I don't   
even know how to begin."   
  
"Why not try the beginning?" Dean offered, his voice wavery.   
  
"Oh, Dean." Rory sat on the couch next to him. "I don't know how to say any of this."   
  
Dean turned away from her and squeezed his eyes shut. He knew what was coming. "Just spit it   
out, Rory. I think I want to get it over with as fast as possible."  
  
"You were right. About my friendship with Jess not really being friendship."   
  
Dean leaned forward and gripped the edge of the cushion in his fists. "You finally figured it out,   
huh? I was hoping you wouldn't figure it out until it stopped being true."   
  
"I'm sorry. I really didn't know. I care about you so much; I didn't lie about it on purpose…."  
  
"Rory, please." Dean interrupted her. He rubbed his palms against the rough fabric on the couch. "I   
know you didn't know. I'm glad you didn't figure it out sooner." He stood up and walked to the   
window. "I want to ask what happened to clue you in, but I'm not sure I want to know. Did he…"   
  
"I kissed him."   
  
"OK, I didn't want to know. Well. I guess some part of you had it figured out, huh?   
  
"Dean, no, I wasn't thinking, I just..."  
  
"Do you love him?"  
  
"I think so. Not the same way that I love you, but…"  
  
"You want him. Physically. More than you want me."   
  
"That makes it sound so sordid."  
  
"Yeah, well, forgive me for being a little bitter. I had this romantic notion that it was a good thing I'd  
waited until I fell in love...but I guess nice guys do finish last, huh?"  
  
Rory stood up and walked toward him. "Dean, it's not like that. I…"  
  
"Spare me. I don't blame you. He's experienced and you're not. He knew how to make you want him." He turned to   
look at her, his face stony.  
  
"Dean, no...he reads, we have more in common..."   
  
"Rory, don't pretend this is about his damn vocabulary. I'm not an idiot; how do you think I knew what   
was going on? I've been feeling you want me less and less ever since he got here.   
I've been watching you look at him the way I always look at you. When he flirts with   
you it turns you on, and he knows it."   
  
He held her arms and bent down until his face was inches from hers. "Just remember, Rory,   
when you're in bed with him, when he's inside of you, giving you what your body wants..."   
He stroked her cheek and Rory flinched at his bluntness and the icy sarcasm in his tone.   
This wasn't the Dean that she knew. "Remember that some other girl got there first." He   
pushed her away and walked toward the door. "Goodbye, Rory."   
  
Rory slowly sat on the floor, stunned and wounded, and buried her head in her hands as he   
slammed the door on his way out of the house. 


End file.
